I’ve been away filming Wild At Heart in South Africa for six months of the year for the last few years but Al’s always been very supportive.

Lucy-Jo Hudson

Lucy-Jo has just starred in the last-ever episode of vet drama Wild At Heart but is thrilled to be back in Britain for good.

That’s because it means she can snuggle up to husband Alan Halsall, who plays mechanic Tyrone Dobbs in Coronation Street, and enjoy their very unstarry life together.

“My favourite time is when we’re both at home at the weekend,” she says. “I like nothing more than snuggling up with Al on the sofa watching a DVD with a takeaway.

“We’re a hard-working couple but very un-celeby.

When we’re not working we like to shut the door and relax and prefer having a cup of tea and biscuits than hanging out in posh wine bars.”

Alan’s screen role as a new dad has also turned the couple’s thoughts to babies.

Lucy-Jo, 29, says: “My sister’s just had a child and Al’s always cuddling his screen baby whenever he gets the chance.

“We both want a family so hopefully it will happen for us one day.

“When the time is right, I want to give motherhood my full attention.

“Al will be a great dad because I see how much he enjoys his on-screen role and he adores our dog.”

[PIC: Rob Evans, vitalmanagement.co.uk]

The couple, who live in Manchester, met on the Coronation Street set in 2002 when Lucy-Jo played wild child Katie Harris. They began dating three years later and married in 2009.

While Lucy-Jo left to play the daughter of vet Danny Trevanion (Stephen Tompkinson, 47) in Wild At Heart, Alan, 30, stayed on the cobbles as lovable Tyrone.

And currently he’s at the centre of one of the soap’s most shocking storylines, which sees Tyrone abused and beaten up by his psycho girlfriend and mother of his child Kirsty Soames (Natalie Gumede, 28). Thankfully in real life, things couldn’t be more different.

“In the eight years we’ve been together we’ve only ever had one row and that was a bit of a damp squib,” laughs Lucy-Jo.

“We’d gone to a friend’s wedding and Al got completely paralytic. I was sober so we had a bit of a tiff.

“That’s the only night we’ve ever gone to bed without talking or cuddling and the next morning we both vowed never to do it again.

“Usually, we’re both very laid back and prefer an easy life. I’m quite placid and I hate any sort of confrontation.”

[PIC: Rob Evans, vitalmanagement.co.uk]

The babe is also “chuffed to bits” that Alan, who joined Coronation Street when he was 16, is on the shortlist for a National Television Award this year – the Oscars of the TV world.

She says: “Finally, after 15 years at Corrie, he’s got a bit of recognition and I’m so proud of him but he thoroughly deserves it.

“I’ve been in awe of his performances. Some scenes have had me in tears.

“He never watches himself on telly so I do a series link and watch when he’s filming at the studio. I’d love to sit him down and just say: ‘Please watch this because this is how good you are,’ but he just thinks of it as his job and takes it all with a pinch of salt.

“He’s had brilliant storylines but domestic violence, especially when it happens to a man, is a sensitive subject and Al’s not gone into it lightly.

“He’s done a lot of research and spoken to some victims. He’s had to dig deep and I know he has found it quite draining – especially the fight scenes, which are pretty harrowing.

“But the Corrie stunt guys are great and he’s well padded up before filming.

“All I have to do is mop up the bathroom at the end of the day scrubbing off the fake blood and war paint from the sink.”

It’s clear Lucy-Jo is still mad about her man. She grins: “He’s brilliant at impersonations and has me in stitches. His sense of humour is what first attracted me to him and when we’re together we are always laughing.

“But he can also be very romantic and looks after me in every way. I love him to bits.

“I’ve been away filming Wild At Heart in South Africa for six months of the year for the last few years but Al’s always been very supportive.

“It has been hard being apart but in our industry you have to go where the jobs are.

“You have to make it work and just stay strong, happy and focused. But I missed Al every day I was away.”

[PIC: Rob Evans, vitalmanagement.co.uk]

Now Wild At Heart is over, Lucy-Jo is looking ahead to her next acting project.

She says: “I’m sad Wild At Heart has finished because the cast was like a second family but at the same time, I’m pleased I can now spend more time at home with Al and move on and do other things.

“I think Al is also secretly pleased but he would never stop me from doing anything.”

The couple are still coming to terms with the loss of Corrie legend Bill Tarmey – Jack Duckworth – who passed away aged 71 last November.

Lucy-Jo says: “Losing Bill has affected us both but it has hit Al especially hard.

“In his early days at Corrie he was like a surrogate dad to Al and guided him. He taught him how to be professional and shared his words of wisdom.

“He will always be a legend and Al will never forget what he’s done for him.

“We’re still in touch with Bill’s wife Alma. She knows what a close bond they had so she gave Al Bill’s watch, which he never takes off.

“I know Bill would be so proud of Al’s NTA nomination. If he wins, he would be winning it for him.

“Bill was such an incredible man and we have so much love and respect for him.”